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Besides, with age comes wisdom, and both facets are lacking from this year's infusion of new, undistinguished wide-outs, leaving free agent signees Jerricho Cotchery and Jason Avant to take roles as mentors even while finding their own way in a new place.

Cotchery, 32, is beginning his 11th season after having started his career with the Jets before playing the last three with the Steelers, where he caught a career-high 10 touchdowns last season. Avant, 31, spent all previous six seasons with the Eagles, starting a career-best 13 games last year.

“I feel comfortable being the old guy,” Cotchery said. “It's crazy how it's worked out for me because even in my third year I was considered an old guy. I've always kind of found myself in this role, so I feel comfortable with it in helping the guys any way I can to get better.”

When 1,000-yard receiver Laveranues Coles departed the Jets early in his career, Cotchery found himself thrust into a leadership role despite still finding his NFL footing.

“I was the guy who was looked at to lead the room or whatnot. But at the end of the day, it's about making plays. You're not going to magically take care of the situation, it's going to be about the work you put in to get better every day. The guys have the right approach and I just try to do what I've been doing over the course of my career, go out there try to make plays for the team.”

Avant laughed at the elder-statesman tag, before jokingly starting to break out one of the oldest clichés, saying, “I'm like a fine wine …” before censoring himself from absurdity.

“I don't consider being old. I put in so much work and you can ask the young guys when they go out and run routes I'm usually the one still going and still being able to play basketball after we're done playing. I'm just used to staying in shape. I don't look at it like (I'm old), and if you do, you kind of accept mediocrity, but I'm trying to constantly progress. No matter how long you have been around or how old you are, there's still room for new progression and I'm looking forward to doing that.”

Cotchery and Avant have combined for 125 starts in 313 games. The only player remotely close to them in terms of experience among the 12 receivers in camp is Tiquan Underwood, a 27-year-old with just 10 starts in 45 career games. Despite being only five years younger than Cotchery, there's a wide gap in know-how between the two.

“It's a blessing just to have his locker next to mine at Bank of America Stadium,” Underwood said. “With him and Jason Avant, they're leading our group as veterans, and have been playing at a high level for so long, you must learn from them. There's a reason they've been around so long and that's because they're consummate professionals both on and off the field so we're just going to look up to them and just try to learn as much as we can.”

Head coach Ron Rivera has enjoyed watching his less-experienced receivers soak up as much as they can from the veteran duo, saying, “A lot of the young guys do seem to latch on to them and it's kind of nice to watch them volunteer information and that's important, that's what you look for in veteran players.”

So much talk has centered around the wisdom Cotchery can impart on his teammates and being their pied piper in leading them around camp the right way that his play-making ability on the field has sometimes gotten totally overlooked. When it's all said and done, he was basically brought in to replace franchise all-time receiving leader Steve Smith.

“I don't take it as a slight,” Cotchery said. “I want to be known as a guy who can help individuals not just on the field, but off the field as well. That's fine with me. But obviously that doesn't get you anywhere in the NFL. Teams don't bring you in to be counselors or anything of that nature. They want you to come in and contribute and make plays to help the team win.

“I feel the organization feels Jason and I can do those things, but the other things come along with it as well.”

<p>They take in stride being referred to as the old men of the Carolina receiving corps, being called “uncle” and “grandpa” by many of their much younger teammates.</p><p>Besides, with age comes wisdom, and both facets are lacking from this year's infusion of new, undistinguished wide-outs, leaving free agent signees Jerricho Cotchery and Jason Avant to take roles as mentors even while finding their own way in a new place.</p><p>Cotchery, 32, is beginning his 11th season after having started his career with the Jets before playing the last three with the Steelers, where he caught a career-high 10 touchdowns last season. Avant, 31, spent all previous six seasons with the Eagles, starting a career-best 13 games last year.</p><p>“I feel comfortable being the old guy,” Cotchery said. “It's crazy how it's worked out for me because even in my third year I was considered an old guy. I've always kind of found myself in this role, so I feel comfortable with it in helping the guys any way I can to get better.”</p><p>When 1,000-yard receiver Laveranues Coles departed the Jets early in his career, Cotchery found himself thrust into a leadership role despite still finding his NFL footing.</p><p>“I was the guy who was looked at to lead the room or whatnot. But at the end of the day, it's about making plays. You're not going to magically take care of the situation, it's going to be about the work you put in to get better every day. The guys have the right approach and I just try to do what I've been doing over the course of my career, go out there try to make plays for the team.”</p><p>Avant laughed at the elder-statesman tag, before jokingly starting to break out one of the oldest clichés, saying, “I'm like a fine wine …” before censoring himself from absurdity.</p><p>“I don't consider being old. I put in so much work and you can ask the young guys when they go out and run routes I'm usually the one still going and still being able to play basketball after we're done playing. I'm just used to staying in shape. I don't look at it like (I'm old), and if you do, you kind of accept mediocrity, but I'm trying to constantly progress. No matter how long you have been around or how old you are, there's still room for new progression and I'm looking forward to doing that.”</p><p>Cotchery and Avant have combined for 125 starts in 313 games. The only player remotely close to them in terms of experience among the 12 receivers in camp is Tiquan Underwood, a 27-year-old with just 10 starts in 45 career games. Despite being only five years younger than Cotchery, there's a wide gap in know-how between the two.</p><p>“It's a blessing just to have his locker next to mine at Bank of America Stadium,” Underwood said. “With him and Jason Avant, they're leading our group as veterans, and have been playing at a high level for so long, you must learn from them. There's a reason they've been around so long and that's because they're consummate professionals both on and off the field so we're just going to look up to them and just try to learn as much as we can.”</p><p>Head coach Ron Rivera has enjoyed watching his less-experienced receivers soak up as much as they can from the veteran duo, saying, “A lot of the young guys do seem to latch on to them and it's kind of nice to watch them volunteer information and that's important, that's what you look for in veteran players.”</p><p>So much talk has centered around the wisdom Cotchery can impart on his teammates and being their pied piper in leading them around camp the right way that his play-making ability on the field has sometimes gotten totally overlooked. When it's all said and done, he was basically brought in to replace franchise all-time receiving leader Steve Smith. </p><p>“I don't take it as a slight,” Cotchery said. “I want to be known as a guy who can help individuals not just on the field, but off the field as well. That's fine with me. But obviously that doesn't get you anywhere in the NFL. Teams don't bring you in to be counselors or anything of that nature. They want you to come in and contribute and make plays to help the team win.</p><p>“I feel the organization feels Jason and I can do those things, but the other things come along with it as well.”</p>